


Tension

by MidoriEyes



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014), Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles - All Media Types
Genre: Anal Sex, Bottom Leonardo, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff and Smut, Hurt/Comfort, In Character, Love/Hate, M/M, No Character Death, Rough Sex, Sexual Tension, Size Difference, Size Kink, Smut, TMNT, Tension, Top Raphael, Turtlecest, Voice Kink, midorieyes, tcest, tmnt 2014, tmnt 2k14
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-13
Updated: 2015-07-05
Packaged: 2018-02-21 00:11:04
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 13,453
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2448170
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MidoriEyes/pseuds/MidoriEyes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A 2k14 TMNT Raph/Leo fic focusing on the up's and down's of their relationship. Will mostly have one-shots for chapters, and some multi-parts. [Smut and/or domestic fluff in some chapters, drama/angst in others. No character death.]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Secrets / Part 1

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't seen many TMNT 2k14 Raph/Leo fics around, so I thought I'd contribute. I very much enjoyed the movie (not saying it didn't have its faults), the turtles' character design, and their personalities. Hope y'all like my stuff! :)

_How the fuck are they_ _that_ _blue?_

Leonardo's katana sharpened itself across the center prong of his brother's sai. The metal sang long after they pulled apart as the two students quickly regained fighting form.

_It's like one of those goddamn tropical lagoons you see in travel commercials._

Raphael, having the slightest advantage with his weapons being a hair lighter and easy to recover, lunged for Leo's right side which had been left open from parrying the former attack.

_Is it natural for them to be that bright a color? Maybe it's a mutant thing…_

This, of course, had been anticipated by the older turtle. It was met with yet another block that managed to disarm Raph as soon as the blade sliced up and between their bodies.

_Could be the mask, though. Probably doesn't help that it's fucking cookie monster blue. There's_ **_too much_ ** _blue, period!_

With one sai left until he got a chance to grab its twin across the room, Raphael put some distance between he and his opponent to plan the next move. He recalled Master Splinter's lesson on patience and the many predators that would let their prey come to it first. Raph wagered he wouldn't fall into this category, but the ball wasn't completely out of his court yet - he could wait. As long as those baby blue's were trained on him, Raph felt like he could take anything thrown his way.

Except having his legs kicked out from underneath him.

The larger turtle had been so focused on Leonardo's eyes that when his brother dived down to unbalance him, there was little to no time for a reaction. And when Raph came down, he came down  _hard._ Just one of the blessings of being a giant two-legged reptile.

Normally, landing on his shell would earn him a grunt and brief loss of air, but with his carapace still damaged from being under the meat-grinding foot of the Shredder, it was a less than pleasant experience. Raphael let out a sharp yell from the pain flaring up his back, causing Leo's unshakeable concentration to falter.

"Shit! Sorry, Raph, I forgot about your shell!" Leo didn't think to apologize for cursing in front of Splinter as he moved to aid his sibling.

"I'm fine," the downed turtle grumbled. He rolled to his side, refusing to be coddled during a simple training exercise, and stood as straight as his back would allow until a medley of pops were heard throughout the space.

Leo, seeing that help wasn't needed, retrieved his outstretched hand and put both legs together, bowing as they were taught to do after every match. Instead of returning the gesture, Raph acknowledged his brother's victory with a curt nod. That was the best anyone would get out of the moping mutant at this point.

"Well done, Leonardo," Splinter hummed in approval. The rat master stepped forward to assess their fight, tail swishing methodically as he studied the brothers. Dark eyes landed on his more aggressive son in a way that would put the toughest turtle on edge. "Raphael, you seem distracted. Is there something troubling you?"

"No, sensei," Raph answered softly. "I'll do better, just let me have another go."

"One can only 'do better' if their mind is as present as the body that contains it … _and_  if they've had the proper amount of sleep."

"Busted~!"

Raphael threw a mean look to his youngest brother who'd issued the taunt while seated on the sidelines with Donatello, their sparring match already over and done with.

Splinter drowned out the background commentary and continued. "These late nights are becoming a hindrance to your training, my son. Shall I set a curfew for you and your brothers like when you were children?"

A collective protest could be heard from each turtle before Raphael responded to his father. "No, Master Splinter. I'll start gettin' my act together, I promise."

Splinter scrutinized his student and pondered whether to pursue the matter further. Unless it involved going above ground, the old rat did not make it his business to know what his sons were up to within the safety of their sewers, at least not since they'd proven themselves in the battle for New York a few weeks ago. And, after their last experience in the hashi, Splinter trusted that the turtles would be more forthcoming about sharing information with their master when asked to give it. In this case, however, it seemed that whatever Raphael was hiding would need to be worked out on his own time.

"Practice is finished for today," Splinter announced. "You are all dismissed."

"Sweet! As champion of the fight, I call player one! Get ready to lose, Donnie." Michaelangelo leapt over his chair and made a beeline straight towards the entertainment center. Donatello followed suit.

"With your low level barbarian? I don't think so."

"Dude, I can beat you in life, I can beat you in video games. Who chooses magic as their core skill set anyway?"

"Oh, you're gonna eat those words, bro. And that was a lucky punch!"

As the two siblings bantered, Leonardo stayed behind to help wipe the sweat and smudges off their wooden practice dummies. He spritzed an old rag with cleaning solution and rubbed gently at the surface, so worn from taking blows day and night by the four mutant residents. It was a calming process, but the sound of heavy footsteps from behind were quick to chase the peace away.

Raphael glanced to see if Splinter had gone to bed like he typically did after night training, and was pleased that the lights were already off and curtains drawn behind the divider of plastic sheets. The master had Donnie install those blackout drapes after learning that a pitch-dark environment provided a more restful sleep. This had only been tested for humans, but that didn't stop him from trying it out.

The larger turtle approached their leader with mild hesitancy made obvious by his crossed arms and hunched shoulders. He leaned against one of the dummies and made sure his face was in Leonardo's line of sight. This didn't incite any kind of reaction and only proved to increase the steadily growing wrinkle of concern that'd been marring the older turtle's forehead since they'd been left alone.

Sighing, Raphael gave in and broke the silence first. "Look, Leo, he hasn't found out, alright?"

"Oh, and you know this for a fact?" The attitude was expected. Raph remained unfazed.

"Don't you think he would'a said somethin' by now?"

"He just might if you keep going back to your room at ungodly hours in the morning." Leo stilled his hand, finally making eye contact with his brother.

"What, you want him to find us holed up like two turtle doves in a love nest?"

"Where on  _earth_  did you hear that from?"

Raph stayed on topic. "He's our dad, Leo! How much longer do you think we're gonna be able to keep this from him?"

"Well, we have to do better!"

"Ha! According to sensei, that'll only happen if our mind and body are one or whatever."

Leo snorted and resumed polishing. "Not like you have to worry about that, Raphael, since you're always thinking with your--"

"DON'T you go there, Leo. You wanted it just as much as I did."

"And I still do! It's just..."

Raph saw the fire leave his brother's eyes as he tried to come to terms with the worries that plagued him. The larger mutant saved him the trouble by voicing these thoughts out loud. "I get it, man. You don't wanna think about how Master Splinter will react."

"And Mikey and Donnie."

"Pfft, I couldn't give two fucks about what those bozos think of us. But, whether we like it or not, everyone's gonna figure it out eventually. There's no secrets in this family, you know that."

Leo laid the rag on one of the dummies' arms. "It's not that I don't agree with you, but I'd at least like to control  _when_  they find out. No surprises. It has to come straight from us."

"I don't think 'straight' is the right way to put it…"

**_"Raph."_ **

"Hey, I'm down with that! You just need to pick a time and I'm there."

"Why me?"

"Because you're the one having a mental breakdown over this whole thing."

"I'm not having a mental breakdown." Leo scoffed.

"Whatever you say, bro. If you're willing to come clean tomorrow morning, then that's what we'll do. Just stop freakin' out every time sensei twitches an ear."

"Okay! Fine. I'll chill." The leader relented, placing his hand on the rag again to finish his task.

"That's all I'm askin' for, Leo. The way you've been acting is what's gonna burst our bubble, not me stayin' up late."

Before Leonardo resumed polishing, he breathed out through his nose and mumbled quietly, "I don't know. Maybe we should get it out of the way sooner rather than later."

"Up to you. I'm free whenever," Raph said playfully.

"You really don't care about what might happen after the truth comes out, do you?"

"No, 'cuz there ain't nothing that's gonna stop me from bangin' you every chance I get."

Leo couldn't hide the amusement at his brother's declaration. "That's a rather eloquent way of putting it."

"Don't pretend you don't like it." Raph's voice rumbled low in his throat, something that the older turtle would never admit excited him. Leo would usually enjoy the firm touches that came after, but being groped in the center of their lair where anyone could see wasn't exactly making him all hot and bothered.

"Raph, c'mon. The guys are right there!" He whispered, making sure his other younger brothers were still transfixed on the combat game they'd started.

Raphael continued his advances, setting one giant hand on his sibling's hip. "If they wanna watch, then it's no skin off my shell."

"So you're into voyeurism now?"

Raphael laughed. "How would you know what voyeurism is?"

"How could I not with all those trashy porno's you used to watch when everyone else had gone to bed?"

"Oh, I see how it is," Raph growled, but the grin on his face told a different story. He yanked his partner behind the dummies so that they were hidden from sight and steered Leo's lips right into his own. A small sound of reprehension fluttered into Raphael's mouth, but that was extinguished easily enough with a gentle squeeze to the arm and a talented tongue. If only his brother were this malleable on their missions. The closer they got to breaking the news to their family, the sooner they wouldn't have to worry about PDA.

**\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

Leo's hand skirted along Raphael's bicep while the other took hold of his battered shell, having memorized every crack and every chip that left its mark, one of which belonged to Leonardo's katana after a training incident when they were thirteen.

At the time, if anyone had asked the oldest turtle whether he'd be DTF with his hotheaded sibling in five or so years, he would've laughed his shell clean off and promptly gagged afterwards. He figured Raphael would've felt the same way, but lo and behold Leo's surprise when his brother boldly, yet clumsily, made his intentions known on a late night sewer patrol not three days after saving the Big Apple. Sure it was weird hearing such a confession from the overgrown mutant, but then Raph kissed him, and nothing was more frustrating than having everything suddenly fall into place during a situation that even Leonardo couldn't quite wrap his head around. Needless to say, it took an embarrassingly short amount of time for him to reciprocate, and now here they were - making out behind the practice dummies of their concrete dojo. Who would've thunk?

Just as they were starting to become breathless, Raphael pulled back with a curious expression on his face. The abrupt pause made Leo a bit anxious, in all honesty. Was this the first inkling of doubt?

"So wait… were you watching me watch porn?"

_Or maybe not..._

Leo rolled his eyes. "Alright, enough. You need a shower."

"We both need one, don't we?"

Leo dismissed his brother's come on and spun one of the wooden dummies so that its arm hit Raphael in the chest. "I'll take mine after yours."

"Aw c'mon, why you gotta be like that, Leo?"

"THEN I'm going to the southern tunnel near the restricted area, which is where  _you'll_  be if you know what's good for you." He said while jabbing a finger into his brother's plastron.

Raphael's mood brightened considerably. "Is that an order?"

"Should you choose to follow it."

There was a flash of teeth before the younger mutant composed himself into that "I'm-not-gonna-show-you-how-happy-I-really-am" facade, not that it wasn't already apparent. "Okay, it's a date. Don't be late."

"When am I ever?"

Raph gave his brother one last heated look and sauntered over to the bathrooms. Once his duck-taped carapace was out of view, Leo let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and went back to cleaning. It was tragic how flustered he'd get because of that short-tempered barbarian sometimes.

With as much as the two fought, and still do, there's no way anyone would believe they were in a relationship right off the bat. And the effect it would have after the domino finally fell… neither one of them wanted to think about it, but it was there - an ever-looming monolith in the back of their minds, casting its shadow whenever someone so much as stared at them for too long, or asked where they were going. Avoiding it was becoming nearly impossible considering the damage it could cause if not handled properly. Raphael acted as if nothing would change after the fact, but deep down Leo knew the same trepidation festered in him as well, like a sanity-eating virus.

The katana-wielder often times found himself thinking that he'd rather go head-to-head with the Shredder a thousand times over than tell his family the truth. He never liked the nickname, but if there was one mission that took the "fearless" out of fearless leader, this was it. In fact, seeing this as a mission in itself is what urged Leonardo to get it done that much quicker. Master Splinter had always taught them to accept whatever consequences came from their actions with grace and dignity, including failed missions. This shouldn't be treated any differently just because there were no Foot ninja to fight.

_A battle from within is no less important than the battles you see before you. Do not run from yourself, for you shall also be running from each other. An open heart is the bond that keeps us together, my sons._

"Through this, you can overcome anything."

Once Raph had gone back to his room for a change of gear, Leo threw the rag in with the rest of their cleaning supplies and hurried towards the showers.

He knew what needed to be done.


	2. Secrets / Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The final part to this arc.

The sewers weren't as muggy in the winter, but the farther you delved into all its nooks and crannies, the easier it was to find a pocket of leftover summer that never seemed to disperse when the cooler seasons rolled in. Conveniently enough, a lot of the tunnels labeled "OFF LIMITS" were like this due to lack of proper ventilation, which made them a prime spot for cold-blooded mutant brothers to hang… or in this case, bang.

Leonardo attempted to keep himself from crying out by biting down on the dangling red bandana tickling his face. The act must've affected Raph in some way if his throaty moan was any kind of hint. Those powerhouse hips of his were coiling and uncoiling into the older turtle like a goddamn serpent, which wasn't all that far from the gene pool to begin with. It was driving Leo up the wall in the most satisfying way possible. Perhaps they should try that position next time?

There was an audible shudder, but neither of them could comprehend who it came from, both too far gone in their ecstasy to care. The closer Leonardo's climax loomed, the more sensitive he became, and he knew his sibling would take full advantage of that fact. Raph always loved pushing Leo to the point of madness whether they were fighting or fucking. Obviously, this wasn't the best atmosphere for the latter, but it was either this or somewhere in their zero-soundproof lair. That'd be one way to break it to the family.

" _Uhn… fuck_ …" Leonardo breathed, wrapping one shaky hand around his brother's arm and squeezing encouragingly.

Elbow pads would've been pretty convenient for him right now. Being on your shell only saved you so much wear and tear while essentially being shoved into a rock hard surface. That was a minor deterrent compared to what was going on further down the waistline, however. He got a kick out of watching what transpired between he and his partner, hence why he propped himself up half the time. The other half involved his limbs turning to jello, which is where Raph found his own enjoyment, the sadistic bastard.

" _Goddamn_ , Leo… how do you feel so good…" The larger turtle grunted, hands kneading into those glistening thighs like some kind of life support.

It was more of a statement than a question, but Leo felt inclined to answer it anyway. "I should be asking _you_ that… you and your monster dong…"

"Fuckin' christ, please don't say 'monster dong'… _ngh_ … while we're bangin', Leo."

"That's what they say in your porno's, isn't it?" Leo closed his eyes and let his head fall back, taking in as much of the sensation as he could.

"So you _have_ been watching me watch porn?"

"Maybe."

Raphael wasn't expecting his sibling to do anything but deny the accusation, and this little tidbit of information got him more riled up than he'd bargained for. He loved when perfect pupil Leonardo allowed his devil horns to make an appearance every now and then.

"Yeah? You get off on it?"

"Do…. do we really have to talk about it right now?"

There was the response he expected. He might've been pushing it a little too far by prying, but a shy Leonardo could be just as sexy. "You're so vanilla, Leo. "

"You consider this…" The smaller mutant eyed his own shifting erection and scrolled up to Raph's face, "… vanilla? _Oh god, there_ …"

The pace quickened. " _Aww yeah_ … Ain't ya ever heard of dirty talk? You should know; all my videos have them."

"I'm not one of your big-breasted, Playboy bunny fantasies, Raph."

"Didn't say I wanted you to be."

"Besides…" Leo reached up with his other hand and latched onto the muscular shoulder hovering overhead before speaking in a soft, husky tone. "…none of them could take what you dish out anyway. Not like I can."

Raphael couldn't tell if his cock got bigger, or if Leo suddenly became tighter. Either way, he'd count that as dirty talk.

With a deep growl that seemed to erupt from his chest, the larger ninja took the back of his brother's knees and pressed them forward until he felt some resistance. Leo was exceptionally flexible, but relying too much on the shell for support would only end in two sea-sick turtles. Raphael then chose an angle destined to hit that sweet spot inside his partner and continued his former speed. The unmuffled moan was a good indicator that this tactic had worked like a charm.

" _Shit, Raph! Haaah-god_ …!" Leo's arms fell to his sides, momentarily grabbing onto skin that was not his own before dropping completely, fingernails eager to find purchase in the cold, unforgiving stone beneath.

"Oh man, keep talkin' to me, Leo. _Urgh_ … I love it!" He said between gritted teeth.

"I… I can't, I…" Sentences were becoming harder to form - the finish line was just in sight.

As Raphael's hips jackhammered their way to orgasm, he planted his upper body above the panting terrapin to get a good look at those bright blue eyes, glossy from pleasure. He licked his lips, which alerted him to the toothpick that was no longer in his mouth.

" _Hng_ … You gonna put that thing to good use, or what?" Leo managed to say.

After that, it was nothing but wet groans and mouth-to-mouth breathing as their lips opened to take the other's tongue inside. Raphael felt a hand cling to the back of his neck, locking them together until Leo decided that air was important again.

He pulled back with a gasp, keeping their foreheads touching as they rode their way to completion. " _Haww yeah_ … _yeah… d-don't stop_ …"

"Like I could… _"_ Raph reached down between them and immediately started swirling his thumb around the head of Leo's bloated dick, relishing the small tremors it sent through his partner's body.

_"God, Raph, I'm gonna…"_

_"Yeah, c'mon, Leo. Lemme see it."_

_"Hng! Ahhh-FUCK!"_

A string of moans and curses fled from Leonardo's lips as his orgasm hit, thoroughly draining his cock of any and all liquid that had gathered during their romp. Raph helped it along by stroking the shaft, careful not to grip too tightly as his own climax took over.

 _"Raphael…!"_ Leo trembled, unable to keep from clenching around the cock still vigorously moving inside him. He could be attacked by Shredder and all his Foot ninja right now and it'd be the sweetest death anyone could ever ask for.

 _"Ahhhhh… I love ya, Leo. God, you're amazing."_ How Raph still had the ability to speak was beyond incredible, but things always got a bit sappy towards the end for the more passionate turtle. Leo never complained.

Once Raph was running on empty, he slowed his hips and relaxed until he was chest to chest with his equally worn out companion. His breath on Leo's neck started a wave of goosebumps, which the younger mutant nuzzled away with a tired kiss.

Leonardo sighed contentedly. After-sex Raph was so uncharacteristically gentle and doting. Maybe it was his way of making sure Leo was still in one piece. He'd always been an "action speaks louder than words" kind of guy, and the hothead wasn't exactly a poet to begin with. But those few soft caresses and murmurs of affection were enough.

The two turtles got comfortable - as comfortable as one could in the sewers - and waded in the afterglow of their high. Raphael snickered to himself as he thought of a good drug awareness slogan that would say "why do drugs when you can do each other", or something of the sort. How could snorting cocaine or shooting up feel better than simply fucking twice a week?

"What're you laughing at?" Leo asked, voice hoarse from overuse.

"Nothin'. Just imaging you hiding in the shadows while I jerk it to Zoey D and the two dudes she's sandwiched between."

"Wait, 'Zoey D'? As in Zooey Deschanel?!"

"Obviously, it ain't the _real_ Zooey, genius. Just some broad who looks like her and acts out the part in her vids."

"Wow." The older mutant frowned thoughtfully. "I never knew she was your type."

"I don't know. Somethin' about dark hair and blue eyes does it for me, man. Got a good sense of humor, too."

"Cute and funny; can't argue with that," Leo shrugged. He appreciated an attractive woman just as much as the next mutant turtle, but Raph's version of appreciation was on an entirely different level than his.

If he had to pick a type, Zoe Saldana would definitely be in the running. Darker skin had always been a turn on for the leader as a whole. Maybe there was a bit of bias since this particular actress had featured in so many of his favorite sci-fi movies, but nonetheless.

_Ha. Zooey and Zoe._

"Hey."

Leo hadn't realized he'd been in la-la land until he was jostled by the giant next to him. He answered with an attentive "hm" and gave Raph his attention.

"You seemed kinda… _off_ when you got here. Somethin' on your mind?"

"Oh… not really."

"Yeah, right. I know you like the back of my shell, bro."

"Ah, so I'm assuming that new crack doesn't need duck-taping?" He teased.

Raph leaned on his elbow so he was facing the other ninja properly. "Seriously, Leo. What's up?"

Leonardo held his brother's gaze for a few seconds to build courage. This is when he'd planned to talk about it, and now wasn't the time to get cold feet. "… I think… I _want_ to tell Master Splinter and the guys about us soon. As in this week. Maybe even tomorrow, like you suggested."

"What brought this on all of a sudden?" There was no surprise or trepidation in Raphael's voice. Just curiosity.

"Besides the fact that they'd find out on their own anyway? Well, we're family, Raph. I wouldn't want to be a part of any other. Our relationship… it won't change that. I think everyone else will understand."

"What if it don't work out that way?"

It was a chilling speculation, and Raph was right for bringing it up. Was he mentally prepared for rejection? After all, they couldn't just dismiss the possibility. There was no guarantee that the others would take this news without some kind of resistance or judgement.

And yet, Leo had never known his father or his siblings to be anything but the compassionate bunch of mutants he grew up with. Somehow he found it hard to believe that they'd be cast out for falling in love.

_Falling in love…_

That was a new.

"We'll be okay. Not saying the path will be covered in rose petals, but it's nothing you and I can't handle."

Raphael nodded, toothpick back between his teeth as he smiled.

"I can work with that."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll be doing a series of one-shots next. Already got some ideas lined up! :) Mostly Raph/Leo centric, but with more Mikey and Donnie appearances.


	3. Pumpkin Party

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A Halloween special featuring the whole family (with hints of Raph/Leo.) Enjoy! :D

The four brothers had a family pumpkin carving tradition since as long as they could remember. Every year, one or two weeks before Halloween, they'd go to their local farmer's market, nab a few choice pumpkins, leave some money, and return home for the festivities. Having learned in the past that the juice from these gourds stained easily, a wide spread of newspaper was laid down in the living room, even on their pizza box furniture. Things tended to get a bit messy when working with unconventional "carving" tools.

For most people, the smell of pumpkin was alluring - a sign of the changing seasons and family get-togethers over the holidays. But when there were six freshly gutted pumpkins in one room with their entrails splayed all over the floor, it didn't exactly have that signature scented candle aroma.

Raphael entered the den with some knives from the kitchen and reeled back from the stench, as if it had physically assaulted him. "Jesus! It smells ripe in here."

"Good thing, too," Donatello chimed in. He sat cross-legged, twisting the cap of what looked like a metal pen until it was good and tight. "Can you imagine how bad it'd smell if all of these pumpkins were rotten?"

"I don't need to. Remember five years back? My sense of smell still don't work right."

Leonardo had taken his place on the couch and was rotating one of his chosen pumpkins on the coffee table to see which side looked more aesthetic. "As always, we'll need to throw them out as soon as Halloween ends so that we don't go through another incident like that," he said while eyeing their youngest team member.

Michelangelo had just finished scooping out the mass of string and seeds from his second pumpkin when he paused to defend himself. "Hey, it's not my fault I got the holidays mixed up!"

"Uhh, it's exactly you're fault." Leo snorted in response.

Raph didn't bother with the bunch of sharpies Donatello had provided them for drawing out their design. He plopped himself down in the vacant arm chair and examined one of the cutleries he'd brought over.

"Mikey, what kinda lunatic would go around hiding fuckin' _pumpkins_ for little kids to find and put in their Easter baskets? Besides you, obviously."

"Took us about two months to find all the ones he'd hidden around the lair," Donnie groaned to himself.

"I'm surprised he isn't making egg-o-lanterns."

The older trio laughed at their little brother's expense, but Mikey played it off by lifting his hollowed out pumpkin and spinning it on one finger, like a lumpy orange basketball.

"Man, whatever! You guys are just jealous 'cuz y'all don't have my mad carving skills."

"Yup. That must be it," Donatello answered with a patronizing lilt.

"Just wait 'til you see what I have planned for this bad boy right he--"

"Mikey, I swear, if you draw another dick on one of our pumpkins, I'm gonna knock your head clean off and shove a candle in your mouth as a replacement."

"Chill, bruh!" He raised his hands in defense, half convinced that the hothead would make good on his word. "This pumpkin is gonna blow your minds. It'll be the king of all Jack's, get me?"

"Watch it be a slice of pizza or something," Raph muttered, earning another round of snickering from his siblings.

"Better than the hack job _you_ make every year."

"You kiddin' me?" Raphael stopped himself from cutting out the last sinister eye of his Jack-o-Lantern and turned it around for the others to see. So far, there was a jagged frown (thanks to their bread knife), a nose, and the one mean-looking eye. "THIS is how it's supposed to be done, bro - scary to the point where you can barely stand to look at it. That's what Halloween is all about."

"Oh, it's scary, Raph, but not for the reason you're thinking." Michelangelo cracked up at his own joke.

"How 'bout I give ya a reason to be scared?"

"Okay, guys, enough." Leonardo had to put his foot down somewhere before this petty argument got out on control. "Let's remember, this is supposed to be _fun_. 

"I'm having a blast listening to these two, believe me." Donatello flicked a switch on his small cylindrical contraption and made a noise of approval.

"You haven't even started on your pumpkin, Donnie. Couldn't you work on… whatever that is later?"

"Not really, since this is a significant component of the carving process. Ah, there we go!" The brainiac made one last tweak before a high-pitched whirring could be heard and the tip of his pen started glowing LED white. One press of a button and the light seemed to spring forth, stopping at about five or six inches. Donatello smiled as if he'd just calculated the winning move in a game of chess ten steps before it ended.

"Okay, that's either the tiniest light saber on Earth, or the sickest pen ever." Mikey's eyes sparkled at his brother's latest invention.

"A handheld laser would be more accurate," Donnie corrected.

"Um, okay, and that's supposed to be any less cool??"

"So you're going to carve your pumpkin with that?" Leo's voice held a touch of concern.

"Easier than using a knife. This baby does all the hard work for me. I just have to direct it. Actually, I'm thinking of making a robotic arm that I could program to guide the laser in a selected pattern of my own design and--"

"Yeah, yeah, just be careful where ya point that thing," Raph interrupted, migrating from his armchair to the couch. He never took chances with Donnie's new toys.

"Oh, it's perfectly safe! The laser can't cut through anything but food at its current power level."

"Could it cut through steel?" A typical Mikey question.

"Not something this small, no. The amount of energy it'd take to do that would require a bigger microprocessor. The thing would probably fry itself before it makes a dent."

"Aww, man. What about bone?"

"Hmm... actually, it might--"

"SO LEO, what're you doin' with yours?" Raphael shouted over the younger ninjas, not wanting Mikey to get any ideas from Donnie's talk about what his laser could and couldn't slice in two.

"Oh, well, not that you'd appreciate this, but I'm carving the Japanese symbols for 'family' and 'honor'. See?" He slid his handiwork over for the larger mutant to get a good look. Raph couldn't understand kanji if it slapped him in the face, but he was rather impressed by how clean the lines were, as expected of the perfectionist beside him. They were going to look pretty neat all lit up.

"Why do you think I wouldn't appreciate these?"

"You said so yourself earlier. Halloween is meant to be scary, and my Jack-o-Lanterns aren't exactly going to keep the Foot from knocking on our door," he admitted sheepishly.

"Yeah, but I was talking about Mikey's love for drawing penises on everything. _These_ are really cool, Leo." Raphael put them back and settled one hand on his brother's knee, expressing his admiration as best he could. "We should put them outside of sensei's room or somethin'."

Leonardo felt warmed by his brother's praise and gave a shy smile in return. "Thanks, Raph."

" _Oh my god_ , you guys are going to forever ruin this tradition for me if you keep doing that where I can see it." Mikey averted his eyes and focused intently on the pumpkin at his feet. 

"Oh yeah? Here, I can help with that," Raphael said nonchalantly as he grabbed a handful of pumpkin guts and threw them at the smaller turtle. If Mikey hadn't lifted his head at the last minute, he would've gotten a full-on facial of the orange goop, although a sizable portion had smacked him right in the eye.

"Awww c'mon, dude! Gross!" He yelled, swiping at the gunk with his equally dirty hands. It didn't help much. "Keep your pumpkin brains to yourself!"

Raph laughed with his tongue sticking out between his teeth, both delighted and disgusted by his sibling's predicament. He was scolded with an admonishing look from Leo, but only because it was routine. On the inside, their leader was just as tickled. 

"Relax, Mikey." Donatello changed the angle of his laser to follow along the path he'd marked. "You should be used to the fact that they're dating by now. It's been months already."

Michelangelo was still too pissed about being slimed for him to care. "Dee, could you please lend me your mini light saber so I can shove it right up Raphael's--"

"Ahh, I see you've all gotten started."

The four brothers turned to see Master Splinter emerging from his room after a short nap. He'd been taking them more frequently under Donnie's recommendation since their sensei was still recovering from his fight with Oroku Saki. The mutagen they'd taken back home had quickened his healing process exponentially, but even Splinter couldn't escape the brittleness of old age.

The walking cane Leonardo had crafted for Splinter was doing its job of keeping the mutant rat off his bad leg, at least. Everyone had grown accustomed to the sound of wood tapping concrete. Donnie had offered to make another cane similar to the bo staff he carried, but was politely refused. Their master couldn't imagine keeping track of all those fancy bells and whistles, however useful they were in battle.

He looked towards the genius in question and marveled at the bright stick of light in his hands. "That's certainly one way to carve a pumpkin, I suppose. 

The group greeted him with a chorus of "hellos" and "good evenings". 

"Donnie's performing laser surgery," Raph said off-handedly while putting the finishing touches on his Jack-o-Lantern.

"And…" The brainiac turned off his pen for a moment and poked out the first eye on his Albert Einstein pumpkin, "…it's working like a charm. Plus, no mess!"

"Yes. I'm glad to see that the proper precautions have been taken to ensure the cleanliness of our home." Splinter pulled out one of the newspapers along the edge of their workspace with his cane, seeing that his youngest's "blast zone" was ever-increasing. One could never be too careful. "And what caricature are you doing this year, Michelangelo?"

"Tch! Probably another comic book hero."

"How many times in a row has he done the Silver Sentry again?"

"I think we're at eight. Maybe nine?"

Mikey ignored his brother's comments and turned to face his sensei, eyes beaming with pride behind his orange mask. "On con trayer…"

"It's 'au contraire'." Donnie mumbled out of habit. 

"… Some would call him a super hero, but to us he's the raddest, badassest, butt-kicking ninja master this side of the NYC."

"Aww, Mikey, ya shouldn't have," Raph teased.

"Ew, not you. It's…" Mikey did his own drum role and spun the pumpkin around for his siblings to get a fair look before the big reveal. Four spectators, including Splinter, all had different levels of puzzlement on their faces, some more horrified than others. The dramatic pause dragged on for another minute until Leonardo prompted his brother for an answer.

"Well? Who is it?" 

Raphael bit his lip to hold in the amusement. "Is that a self-portrait? You got the ugliness down pat."

"What? No!" Mikey's smile fell at the remarks, looking back and forth between his masterpiece and his audience, wondering if they were all seeing the same thing he was. "It's Master Splinter!"

"THAT'S SENSEI?!"

A roar of laughter echoed throughout the domain courtesy of Raphael, while the other terrapin brothers squinted and tilted their heads to see if they could get a sense of perspective on this supposed image of their master. Donatello, struggling not to point out all the reasons it couldn't be the mutant rat, pursed his lips together and slouched back over his own design as Leo continued to scrutinize the mangled sphere once known as a pumpkin.

"Um, well, it's uhh… I mean, it's like one of those modern art pieces, right? The nose is here, and the eyes go… there? And… where is the mouth?"

Leonardo's forced critique only worsened Raph's laugh attack, the larger mutant rolling on his shell in breathy fits.

"It's just a normal, handsome picture of Master Splinter! Man, you guys are just being mean on purpose now," Mikey pouted.

The only answer came from Donnie who kept his head down to avoid direct confrontation. "I give you points for creativity, bro. I'm sure we can find a nice corner to put it in."

"No." The turtles quieted down to hear what Master Splinter had to say about Mikey's pumpkin, except for the guffawing green giant that Leo had to elbow into silence. "It shall go on my shelf so that I may look upon it throughout the holiday season. Thank you for allowing me to be the subject of your work, Michelangelo. It is an honor."

"Sensei, you don't need to be that nice about i--oof!" Thwarted by another expert jab from the sword-wielder.

"Ha! Unlike _you_ uncultured swine, Master Splinter knows real art when he sees it," Mikey gloated, checking out his own pumpkin as if he were looking in a mirror.

"Well, I gotta admit…" Raphael sighed and stretched his arms across the top of the sofa, thoroughly winded for one night. "It definitely outdoes my pumpkin in terms of horror. Nice job, dude."

"I'll take that as a compliment…? But hey, If you don't mind, Raph, I have a little something that might complete the look you're trying to go for."

Without waiting for a response, Michelangelo hopped up from his spot, leapt over all the mushy carnage next to the sharp-toothed monstrosity sitting on their coffee table, and stuck a toothpick in its open mouth.

"There! You guys are practically twins now."

"Screw you, man," Raph grunted, mildly irritated that Mikey had gotten so good at dodging his retaliation kicks.

Leo leaned in closer to his partner so he could see the pumpkin from the front. "I don't know. I kinda like it better this way." 

"You would." The larger mutant took a strand of Leo's bandana and tangled it through his fingers. His brother was still bashful about their public displays of affection, which made it all the more enjoyable whenever Raph got a chance to initiate them.

"Done!" Donatello announced, being the last to present his work.

……... 

"Fuckin' hell, Donnie." Raph shook his head.

Michelangelo threw his hands up in exasperation. "Why do we even bother anymore?"

"He _is_ the artist of our family. That looks awesome, Dee."

"Thanks, Leo." Donatello wiped a smudge off Mr. Einstein's wrinkled cheek. "If I had more time, I could've given it a more three-dimensional aspect by sculpting with multiple layers of the pulp, but I figured that might be a bit excessive." 

"Naw, of course not." Raph rolled his eyes.

"All of your pumpkins look exceptional, my sons. Are we ready to display them?" Everyone agreed and rose to find a satisfactory place for each piece.

As suggested by Raph, the "family" and "honor" pumpkins were situated on either side of the entrance to Splinter's room, which the rat master was quite pleased with. 

Donnie's Albert Pumpkinstein, fondly re-named by Mikey, would be lighting the scientist's work station since he was the only one who truly appreciated the face glowing back at him.

Mikey's rendering of Master Splinter was, as their teacher stated, set upon his book shelf with the incense and other candles that flickered next to his wall of obsolete stereos. It was somewhat of an upgrade to the boys' refrigerator art when they were children. 

Raphael's was placed near the main exit of their lair as a good luck charm whenever they left for patrol. He would add a toothpick to the pumpkin's mouth every time their team returned safely.

"Hey, where's the first pumpkin I carved?" Michelangelo asked while scanning the living room for any sign of it.

It wouldn't be long before the young ninja found his penis pumpkin burning bright and ready to greet him in Raphael's snack cabinet that he secretly frequented so often.


	4. One-on-One

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo and Raph have a little team workout that only two overgrown mutants could pull off. :)

"Would you rather walk on hot coals, or a bed of needles?"

"Mmm… hot coals."

"Wow, really? Even if it meant third degree burns?"

"I can take the heat. Better than a bunch of needles tickling my feet."

"Pfft. Okay, Batman. Your right arm isn't extending all the way when you come up - even it out."

"Quit shiftin' around and that won't happen."

Raphael tightened his lips and sucked in a steady rush of air as he brought the bar down on his clavicle, allowing it to kiss the patch of skin that had grown rough and discolored after so many years of weight-lifting. As he exhaled on the thrust, a single bead of sweat slid down to tickle his upper lip. Raph's tongue swiped at the salty drop, further reminding him of how thirsty he actually was.

"Fuel me," he said after locking his arms, the weight above him teetering ever so slightly. 

As if by magic, a stream of gatorade found its way into the turtle's open mouth until it sputtered into nothing. This "magic" was also known as a blue-masked mutant who'd been performing a perfect one-handed handstand for ten minutes on the equipment his brother was currently lifting.

Leonardo tossed their now empty bottle of red liquid on the floor below and readjusted his grip on the bar so that he was more centered.

"Your turn."

"M'kay." Raphael lifted the weights twice more overhead before choosing a question for his older brother. "Would you rather… go on a date with the Shredder, or Mikey?"

"Oh, c'mon! That's just unfair." Leo craned his head to get a better look at his sibling's smug face before realizing it might be easier to turn the other way around, despite the upside-down perspective.

"I need a straight answer, bro. And if you make a wisecrack about the 'straight' part, I swear I'm gonna hurl this thing across the room with you on it."

"I'll leave the wisecracks up to you, Raph." It took another three up and down trips for the sword-wielder to make a decision. "I guess I'd have to go with Mikey. He can keep a conversation going, and at least he's predictable... for the most part."

Raphael made a noise between a snort and a gag to show his distaste.

"What, you'd honestly rather put the moves on Shred-Head?"

"Hey, I never said anything about _wooin'_ the guy. And yeah! I'd treat the Shredder to a goddamn five-star dinner if it meant I wouldn't have to witness Mikey's straws-up-the-nose routine for the thousandth time."

Leo laughed. "Can I get that in writing, please?"

"No, but you can get a foot in the ass." Raph would've followed through with his threat if he weren't already balancing 500 lbs, Leo included. 

"Alright, alright, I got a good one. Would you rather become human and live a normal life on the surface, or stay a mutant?" 

Raphael scrunched his brow as he rested the bar on his plastron for a few seconds. 

Leo always did this. Things would start off quirky and fun, and then the older turtle would try to pick Raph's brain by asking deep, personal questions. This, in turn, took more thinking, which slowed down the game, which soon ended up with Raphael getting frustrated and ending it early, much to his sibling's dismay. Good thing he was only a couple sets away from finishing the workout. 

"Would I have'ta give up ninjitsu if I turned human?" he grunted, heaving the weights up and overhead. 

"Yup. It'd basically be the opposite of everything we do now."

"Then nope. I'll leave that surface-dweller shit to the 8 million humans already crawlin' around New York City."

A pause.

"Hm."

"What's 'hm' mean?"

"Nothing. It's just that I thought, out of the four of us, you'd be the one to embrace a normal life if given the option."

"Ha! Don't get me wrong," Raph said, eyeing a leaky crack in their ceiling. He'd need to tell Donnie about that. A flash flood was the last thing this family needed. "It'd be nice to actually walk up to a hot dog stand without anyone battin' an eye, but that won't mean much if I have to leave behind everything I know."

Leo shrugged as much as his position would allow. "Good point."

"Same question, bro."

"You can do that?"

"I can now. What would you choose?"

Leo chose to overlook the possible breach in game rules, and let the question simmer for a minute or two. He didn't realize how difficult this particular inquiry was until it was presented to himself.

The false smile on his face threw Raphael for a loop before the older mutant began to speak.

"You know, when we were above ground for those few days with April and… that other guy… Murph? Despite the severity of our situation, I had a lot of fun."

"Wow, Leo having fun," Raph smirked, showing off his canines. "What a day to be alive."

"Ha ha, smartass, shut up. What I'm saying is that it was nice to walk around the surface like every other civilized creature on Earth and, you know, be among humans for once."

"You mean the ones that were trying to kill us and suck us dry?"

"Okay, Raph, if you're gonna be--"

"Easy, Fearless!" The larger turtle brought down the bar as low as he could to get a good look in his partner's eyes. "I'm just yankin' your chain! By all means, continue. I won't give ya anymore lip."

Leo sighed and gave Raph the evil eye in case he was thinking of smack talking him further.

"Listen, I know it wasn't exactly the 'honeymoon experience' we were all hoping to have on our first trip topside, but, to be honest, I'd do it all again in a heartbeat. I've never felt as alive as I was when we were taking down Sack's goons, or duking it out with Shredder on that skyscraper. Sure, I was scared that we could possibly end up failing the mission, and get killed in the process, but at least it would be for something we believe in. I just can't see myself working a desk job when I could be making a real difference in this city. We actually saved people's lives, Raph. A _lot_ of people, even if they don't know it. All of the training, all of dad's lessons and the discipline that came with it - it amounted to something awesome! And now, we have human friends that we can trust, and one of them is the very person who rescued us from that fire so many years ago. I mean, living situation aside, what could possibly be better than this?"

At this point, Raphael had racked his weights with Leo still on board, and rested on the bench while gazing up at the animated turtle, listening intently to every word he said with a soft smile. It was rare that their stone cold leader would go off like this under circumstances that didn't involve training or heated lectures. Being the one ninja who had his guard up even when taking a shit, Leonardo wasn't the type to open up about his passions. Although, the guy's sci-fi movie addiction probably counted for something. Maybe.

"I hear ya, bro," Raph said after a beat. "Took the words right outta my mouth."

Leo let himself tip over until he was stomach to stomach with the larger mutant, content with ending their game here. "I'm glad you understand. I thought I was crazy for actually enjoying that whole ordeal."

"It's called an adrenaline rush, Leo. They're hard to resist."

"Believe me, I know this all too well."

Raph's head fell back in a laugh. "Haha, oh yeah! I forgot April pumped you guys with enough of that stuff to fuel an entire army. Man, what I wouldn't give to have seen that."

"You did, remember? When we literally tripped over ourselves to help your sorry ass after getting clobbered by Shredder?"

"Yeah, not one of my proudest moments. Thanks for reminding me, though, dickwad."

"You're welcome, meathead."

"Oh, I'll give ya a head of meat."

Raphael met the other ninja halfway for a satisfying, after-workout kiss that could've lasted as long as their lifting session were they the only ones in the lair that day. If anything, it was just as intense, and twice as sweaty. Large, grappling hands could barely hold onto each other, but, fortunately, their lips more than made up for it.

The two eventually propped themselves upright with Leo's legs draped over Raph's. After being upside-down for about thirty minutes straight, the eldest could feel a head rush coming on, making him just a bit giddy… and, surprisingly, horny. All that blood was dutifully heading towards the opposite end of the spectrum.

"What'dya say we take care of the rest of this pent up energy someplace else?" He suggested. Raphael's response came in the form of a telltale nudge against Leo's lower plastron.

"Bro, you read my fuckin' mind."


	5. Habits

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leo and Raph have a very important conversation about certain habits...
> 
> Got a little inspiration back, so here's a super short n' sweet one-shot. :)

"What is it with you and toothpicks?"

 

Raphael's eyes trailed to the ceiling fan in a lazy roll. His gaze rested back on the vinyl punching bag hanging from across the room, still in good condition after a year of daily use. Donnie had been the one to suggest switching from leather to a more synthetic material so that the humidity in their home didn't infest the lining with mildew - one of the downsides to living in a sewer.

 

The two eldest turtles were lounging on Raphael's bed, side by side, mildly exhausted from their earlier workout, and the round of intense "post-workout" that followed. Typically, they'd exchange praises and silly banter for the first couple of minutes, and then a comfortable silence would blanket the concrete-insulated space until there was nothing but the sounds of soft snoring and the occasional dream-grunt. Every now and then, however, Leonardo still had enough energy in him to keep a steady trickle of conversation going, which Raph normally evaded by pretending to fall asleep if the topic began to bore him. This could be another one of those nights.

 

With a sigh, the larger mutant threw his hand up in a non-committal gesture and answered his brother's question that had come seemingly out of nowhere.

 

"I dunno, Leo. What is it with you and chopsticks?"

 

"Okay, no. We're not getting into that again." Leo's penchant for aspects of Japanese culture was a sore subject nowadays, seeing as he was the only one who appreciated and adopted it into his personal lifestyle, besides Master Splinter, of course. (Why was it okay for their sensei to immerse himself in this stuff, but _he_ got a hard time for it? That's what Leo wanted to know!) "And don't try changing the subject. I'm the one who's asking _you_ \--"

 

" _Why_ do _you_ care?" Raph cut him off, eager to get this line of interrogation over and done with.

 

"Because you have one in your mouth, like, 24/7! Where do they keep coming from?! Do you have an entire pack of them hidden in your shell, or is it just the same toothpick that you keep tucked away until the opportune moments presents itself?"

 

"What the fuck are you even talkin' about?"

 

"Oh, come on. As if you don't whip them out every time we get into a brawl. Seriously! I turn around, and there you are, grinding a 2 inch piece of wood between your teeth like it's some sort of intimidation tactic."

 

"Well, if it works, then who gives a shit?"

 

"Aren't you afraid of swallowing one while you're fighting?"

 

"Uh, no, 'cuz I don't have it in my mouth while I fight."

 

"But it's always there after we kick some shell."

 

"Yeah, _after._ I dunno, man," he shrugged. The only way to sate Leo's curiosity was to provide a straight forward answer, so Raphael blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "It calms me down. Whatever."

 

Leonardo thought about this new perspective for a few seconds before coming up with his own conclusion. "So… it's like having a cigarette, for you."

 

"Cigarette?" Raph's face scrunched up in confusion.

 

"Yeah, y'know. Like how some people have a cigarette after a hard day's work to relax themselves?"

 

It was a strange comparison, but the larger turtle's mouth turned down into a thoughtful frown. "I guess you could put it that way, yeah."

 

"I mean, at least your habit is healthier than smoking, right?" The older mutant turned on his side to face his partner, placing one hand on the muscled chest in reassurance. He looked hard at Raph's face to make sure his brother hadn't settled into a bad mood, and carefully added, "I'm not saying there's anything wrong with you chewing on toothpicks, I hope you know. I was just… wondering, is all."

 

"Pfft! Even if ya did have a problem with it, there's nothin' you could do about it. Half of the time, I don't even realize I do it - just magically appears in my mouth, like Mikey and pizza."

 

Leo chuckled at that. "Looks like oral fixations run in the family. Donnie goes through pens like a machine. Every one of the caps are either missing or mutilated beyond repair. And I'll occasionally see dad gnawing on a thing or two when he thinks no one's around. Might be his rodent tendencies though."

 

" _You_ don't have an oral fixation. Although, you do like to tongue at your lower lip whenever you're concentrating real hard, which breaks _my_ concentration, so thanks for that."

 

"Oh?" Leo smirked. "I don't think my tongue really counts, though."

 

Raph paused to think for a moment before looking down at his own naked torso, devoid of the usual gear and weapons. "Well, there is…"

 

" **Raphael**. Finish that sentence, and I'll make sure you choke on that toothpick of yours," Leo muttered in the same clipped tone his younger sibling knew all too well.

 

"Oh, I don't know, Leo. You sure enjoy choking on things that are significantly larger than toothpicks, so maybe I won't mind so mu--"

 

\---

 

There were no more words said between the couple that night.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll leave what happened after Raph's provocation up to your imagination. Whether it's Leo shoving 100 toothpicks down Raph's throat, or round 2 of their "workout" session. ;U


	6. Truth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yooooo long time no see! :) "Truth" picks up after "Secrets: Part II", when Leo and Raph were going to tell the fam about their relationship. I wanted to do something a bit more on the serious side since these last few chapters were nothing but fluff and smut. This is basically my telling of RxL coming out and the results thereof. Enjoy~! (Sorry if the end seems rushed. I was starting to crash along the way lol.)

The aftermath of an hour long rainstorm was oppressive.

 

Thick clouds of the city's stench were billowing off of every heat-saturated surface that had earlier been baking underneath the mid-summer sun. Inhaling the acrid vapor of steamed pavement and sodden, trash-strewn alleys made it marginally harder to breath, but complaints tapered off at the relief of having it be a few degrees cooler than before the downpour.

 

New York had been holding its breath throughout this recent heatwave. Prayers and pleas were lifted up daily for relief, not so much from the weather itself, but from the inconvenience it caused others - showering twice a day, frequent trips to the laundromat, high air conditioning bills… The month of August was no joke in the Big Apple.

 

And then, as if a curse had been lifted, darkness fell and the city finally exhaled with a humid sigh. Now, there were couples and the occasional post-weekend cluster of kids strolling down the dampened sidewalks, all humming with low-key excitement. Citizens were intoxicated with the climate change, as brief as it may be, and seized the opportunity to go outside while the soft orange hues of dusk were still threading their way through a network of skyscrapers. 

 

Not far from the main street where all the hustle and bustle was taking place, on a fire escape hidden from wandering eyes thanks to the adjacent building's looming shadow, a large inhuman form sat with his legs dangling over the edge, looking out over the series of puddles that spotted his secluded alleyway. Droplets fell from the iron stairwell and a few potted planters that people had installed at the base of their window sills, landing in the puddles below, one pluck after another. The ripples fanned out into perfect circles from the creature's vantage point, distorting the yellow light from a ground story window momentarily before settling back into an illusion of dark glass.

 

It was quiet. Nothing but leftover pitter-patter and the sound of tires shredding through water that hadn't yet filtered into the storm drains. It was enough of a distraction, however; he hadn't heard the intrusion of another until a low, rumbly voice broke the silence.

 

"You sit there too long, you'll grow moss on your shell."

 

Leonardo tensed, eyes flickering up before he stopped himself and tried to concentrate on the puddles once more. He felt a little bad for blatantly ignoring his visitor, but the older turtle honestly didn't know what to say, at least in the ways of casual conversation. Admittedly, he'd never been all that good with small talk. His team knew that much.

 

Vibrations from Raphael's lumbering descent down the fire escape tingled the skin of Leo's thighs until his sibling had reached the fourth story level where he was perched. A second or two passed before another pair of legs joined his over the edge of their lookout. Raph didn't have to do much else to get his brother to speak. The awkwardness was heavy enough to ensure that.

 

"What are you doing here," he asked, for lack of a better greeting. Leo already knew the answer. Might as well start off small before getting into the thick of it.

 

"Oh, just taking a leisurely stroll, smellin' the daisies, pickin' up some milk for sensei and the two knuckleheads."

 

At the mention of their family, Leo faltered, leaving him hunched over and even more closed off than before. Raphael was watching the gentle slouch of his shoulders, both of them knowing that Master Splinter would've issued a sharp rap of his cane to either of their hides for such terrible posture.

 

He didn't care. Not right now.

 

Seeing that being playful currently had no effect on the other mutant, Raph cut to the chase. He never liked tip-toeing around their problems anyway.

 

"They didn't disapprove, ya know."

 

Without missing a beat: "They didn't exactly _approve_ , either."

 

"They're surprised, is all." Ha. _Surprised_ , he says. Just a fluffy substitute for shocked, stunned… flabbergasted, even. Sure, neither Splinter, Michelangelo, or Donnie's reactions had been outright condemning, but the _astounded_ (there's another one) silence he and Raphael had received after coming out of the sewer closet to their family told a far worse story from Leo's perspective. It was quiet, subtle, but no less of a rejection than if they'd screamed and shouted at each other. Their loved ones obviously didn't want to hurt them with what they thought or how they perceived this kind of lifestyle.

 

Perhaps it was the excruciating kindness of their reactions that crumbled Leo's resolve, like when a child cries harder after being comforted rather than scolded. It was all the eldest could take before dashing off through the tunnels and popping out the nearest manhole into pounding rain. How appropriately cinematic it all was, like one of sensei's grossly over-the-top TV dramas.

 

"I ran away," Leo admitted softly, as if the other four members of his family hadn't seen him do it. The feeling of shame was undermined by his regret, however. "Did they say anything after…"

 

"Nah. I left to find you not long after that. Told'em this wasn't how it was s'posed to go, and that we'd be back."

 

Leo snorted. "Not sure that'll be anytime soon."

 

"I know. That's why I didn't tell them when," Raph shrugged. When Leo needed alone time it spanned for days on end, unlike his own dour self-reflections that brought him back to the lair in no more than 24 hours.

 

"I appreciate that, Raph." He got a grunt in response.

 

"Don't be thankin' me just yet. I got some words for you still." That didn't sound fun, but he supposed he deserved whatever was coming. "I thought we had a plan, Leo. We were gonna talk it out with them, nice and calm-like, cross our fingers, and elope if it all went to shit." The joke warranted a tiny smile from the brooding ninja. "So, what happened back there?"

 

The immediate answer was too ambiguous, but Leo went with it. "I lost my nerve."

 

Raphael blinked. "Lost your nerve? _The_ Leonardo lost his nerve? Yeah, I'm not buyin' that. Try again."

 

"Oh, what, because I'm the leader I'm not allowed to panic over telling my family that I'm having relations with my brother?"

 

"Hey, you can panic all you want if it makes ya feel better, because God knows I was panicking too, but we were in this together, man! And you just left me there, like some sorry broad at the alter."

 

"I know! I know. You're right, I…" Leo massaged his brow, too tired to resist his sibling's accusations. Why would he when they were 100% accurate? "I'm sorry. It was shitty thing to do, and I'll make it right, I promise. Just give me some time to figure things out."

 

"Well, we got time, so figure away, oh wise one." The sarcasm wasn't helping, but at least he didn't feel so deflated anymore. They sat without saying anything for a good while, simply taking in what little was going on around them.

 

A glimpse of three chatty girls came into view across the street before disappearing behind the brick of their building, followed by the fluid leap of a cat from point A to point B in the alleyway jungle below. It was a welcome diversion until the muddy feline disappeared into the mouth of an open dumpster stewing with rain water and soaked garbage. Leo couldn't imagine the smell was very appealing, but who was he to talk?

 

It was Raphael who prompted their conversation last time, and it looked like he'd be taking the reigns once more. "You're not gonna get very far sittin' here feelin' sorry for yourself all night. D'ya mind if we figure it out together?"

 

Leo nodded. "I'd rather we did."

 

"Good. So." Raph leaned back on his hands and got as comfortable as he possibly could. "What d'ya wanna do?"

 

That question earned a dismissive snort. "I think we've seen what happens when we do what _I_ want to do."

 

"I'm just sayin', man. You were so gung-ho about tellin' everyone a while back, remember? In the restricted tunnels?"

 

"Hmm. How could I forget?" Leo smirked, recalling some particularly fond memories that involved a lot of sweat and heavy breathing - one of their more rewarding "workout" routines.

 

Normally, Raph would reminisce with him, but he had a point to make. "You seemed pretty sure of yourself. I mean, you didn't say all that because you felt pressured, did you?"

 

The smaller turtle sighed, shifting so that he was facing his brother more fully. "No. I wanted to tell them, honestly I did. But then…" he hesitated, scrambling to find the words, "… they just _stared_ at us, like at any moment we were going to come out and say 'just kidding!'"

 

"To be fair, if I were them, I'd think we were yankin' their chain, too."

 

"And the moment they realized we _weren't_ …" Leonardo sighed, letting his head drop to the second bar of the railing with a thunk. "Did you see Master Splinter's face? It's like we had stepped on his tail or something."

 

"Well, it's probably a lot to take in, Leo. The guy's raised us since we were tater tots. It's not gonna be easy for him to see us as _more_ than just brothers, but that doesn't mean we're sacrificing one for the other. We just gotta make him and the others understand that."

 

"How? What could we possibly say so that this doesn't seem… _wrong_?"

 

Raphael paused to study his partner's stoic profile before responding with his own inquiry. "Do you think it's wrong, Leo?"

 

"What? No!" He answered, taken aback and momentarily afraid that he'd come across in such a way. Perhaps when they'd first confronted their urges he had doubts, to put it lightly, but in all his years of living Leonardo had never felt more whole than when he was with Raph. "Love, whether it's between family, or friends, or mutants like us - it's all the same to me. You can't contain it, and you can't put a label on it. As long as two people are happy together in a solid, healthy relationship, that's what matters. At least to me."

 

Raph smiled, watching the last sliver of sunlight as it crested over the top of the opposite building. "What made you think like that?"

 

"Well, it's something that sensei said a long time ago: 'Possess the right thinking. Only then can one receive the gifts of strength, knowledge, and peace.' After that, I found myself wondering what is the 'right' thinking? Humans have a pretty clear standard for what's right and wrong, but we don't exactly fall into their favor as it is." Raphael clicked his tongue in agreement. "So I had to force myself to think outside of normal social parameters. What did I, as just another living being in this big, crazy world of ours, consider 'right'?"

 

Raph shrugged. "That's a double-edged sword, bro. Lot of people out there have their own ideas of right and wrong."

 

_The Foot Clan, Sacks, Shredder…_

 

"Yes. But it's people like that who helped me make my decision."

 

Leo's gaze bore into the apartment window across from him, straight into the eyes of his own dim reflection. "I've found strength, knowledge, and peace in this city. Helping others, regardless of who or what they are, is where I find those gifts, but it also comes from my family. From you, Raphael."

 

His eyes left the mirror image glowering back at him and settled on his brother. 

 

"You give me the strength to keep going, you teach me things I could never learn myself, and, as much as you drive me insane sometimes, being with you grounds me in a way that meditation can't. And that's saying a lot coming from me."

 

"Oh, I know," the larger mutant laughed, flashing a grin.

 

"You make me feel right, Raph. I wouldn't have us any other way."

 

"Hey, s'good enough for me."

 

Leo looked past his brother and pursed his lips in thought. "Let's just hope it's good enough for them."

 

"It'll have to be. Like you said: can't control it."

 

"Despite that, I'm still worried about Master Splinter and the others opinion on it. I guess I should've stuck around to actually hear what they had to say."

 

"Eh, they probably needed some time think, too. It's hard to know what to say after hearing news like that."

 

"I really hope this doesn't change things."

 

"It might a little, but that may not be a bad thing. Besides, if Splinter was the one who taught us about the right thinking and all that stuff, don't you think he'd come to the same conclusion you did?"

 

Leo breathed out through his nose, the tension from earlier today vacating his body in a slow heave. "Probably."

 

"Only one way to know for sure." Raph shimmied backwards and pulled his legs underneath him to stand. The crack in his shoulders when he shifted was so loud Leo was afraid the tenants might here it. "Think you're up for it now?"

 

A solemn nod. "Yeah. I honestly think I am. For real this time, I promise."

 

"I'll be with ya every step of the way. Which means I can also body slam you if ya try to run off again."

 

Leo frowned thoughtfully. "Fair's fair."

 

He reached for his brother's outstretched hand and was hauled up into a tender, unassuming kiss. It didn't escalate, nor did they want it to. They needed this sweetness, to feel on a physical level that nothing had changed between them and would remain that way, even in the face of opposition. Leo opened his eyes when they parted to see that Raph hadn't closed his to begin with. The hand on his neck brushed against his relaxed jaw, soothing away all his uncertainties in one simple stroke. This spell they'd fallen under would've continued had it not been for the flick of Raph's tongue coaxing a toothpick out between his lips.

 

"Oh my god," Leo sighed, rolling his eyes. "You had that in your mouth this whole time? Where were you hiding it?"

 

"Some secrets are meant to stay secret, bro." The larger mutant gave him a cheeky smirk, clenching the tiny piece of wood in his teeth.

 

"You're unbelievable," Leo said, and watched as his brother vaulted over the fire escape railing towards the alley below.

 

\-----------------------------

 

With a deep shudder, the reinforced steel latch to their lair swung open, presenting a view of the central dojo, uninhabited (for now). Raph jumped down onto the concrete perimeter, Leo trailing behind a bit more cautiously.

 

Their journey home had been nice and leisurely, neither of them itching to get back in record time. It gave them a chance to discuss precisely what they wanted to say, and how to handle the situation if it got out of hand. They were pretty much prepared for any scenario, and yet Leonardo still felt a quaking in his shell from how nervous he was. This could only go one of two ways, after all.

 

"Hey." He was pulled out of his dark thoughts by the careful weight of Raph's hand on his arm. "It'll be okay, man. Have some faith."

 

Leo was about to make a comment on the irony in that statement coming from Raph of all mutants, but the distant tap of a cane made his muscles lock and his tongue dry up. Heat bloomed from his chest at the sudden rush of fear, worry, doubt, all causing his heart to flutter like a caged bird. He knew how easy it'd be to turn back around and avoid the problem, to run off into the sunset with Raph like a bad romcom.

 

A fuzzy shadow fell across the alcove leading into their training hall, warped to look bigger and more menacing by the living room spotlights.

 

_No_.

 

He had to do this.

 

_They_ had to do this.

 

This was just as much about family as it was about themselves, and Leo would rather hash through whatever was to come than live through the rest of his life without them. Hell or high water be damned.

 

In a daring spike of courage, he clasped his partner's larger hand in his own, and waited. Raph's encouraging squeeze did more for him than the hothead would ever know.

 

Master Splinter stepped through the archway, taking his time as he always did, and stopped at the edge of the arena overlooking the pit. His solid black eyes shimmered under the low gleam of safety lights that were kept on during all hours of the night, giving away nothing but the same placid demeanor that the turtles knew him for. There were no angry lines, no down-turned brow, to indicate that the mutant rat was cross. Even his tail was still as fallen snow. It was almost eerie.

 

But, as soon as Splinter got a good look at his first and second born, the coldness seemed to creep out of his old bones, replaced by a warmth Leonardo didn't expect to see in light of everything that had occurred.

 

After what felt like an eternity, their sensei straightened his spine as far as it would let him, placed both hands at the top of his walking stick, and spoke.

 

"I cannot say I understand how this came to be."

 

Not the best start, but Leo and Raph listened like the obedient students they were taught to be.

 

"For many years now, I had seen a special connection growing between the two of you, something passionate and unbreakable, like the fire and rock that make up a volcano - not always stable, but a force unmatched, nonetheless. Not once did I ever imagine that this bond you shared could rise to such unpredictable heights." They were surprised to hear a small hum of laughter come from their teacher. "Then again, what kind of fool would I be to think I could predict a force of nature." His gaze caught their intertwined hands before studying the stone-like faces staring back at him.

 

"As your sensei, I can tell you this: 'The path that leads to what we truly desire is long and difficult, but only by following that path do we achieve our goal.'" The brothers had heard this saying multiple times throughout their training, although they'd never thought to apply it to their current predicament. "If you two are absolutely certain that this is what you desire, then I expect you to do the best you can to stay on this path. A relationship such as this requires respect, patience, and a great deal of love in all that you do."

 

The turtles knew this much, notwithstanding their occasional tiffs, but Master Splinter seemed to be leading up to something else. They waited.

 

"Just remember that, no matter what trials you face, family will always come first. You are still ninja. Nothing will ever change this."

 

Both Leo and Raph offered a firm nod. They were fully aware of the stakes and what was expected of them. Anything less than that wouldn't do.

 

"Now, as your father…" Splinter said in a voice more fragile than they'd heard since he lay dying after his encounter with the Shredder. "I cannot ignore the worry in my heart, for I do not wish to see either of you hurt."

 

Raphael moved to refute this statement, but was cut off by the rat's raised paw.

 

"Be that as it may, your happiness means more to me than my own trepidations. I will not deny your bond, nor will I stand in the way of what is meant to be. And, although I may not be able to help you if the path becomes torn or broken, just know that I will always be by your side for as long as time allows."

 

Splinter closed the distance between he and his sons, stopping before the incline of the outer slab. "I love you both very much."

 

It was everything Leonardo didn't expect, and yet completely expected, to hear from his father and sensei. The weeks of anxiety, the sickening gut fear of being found out, of having to keep secrets from those closest to him - it was all washed away by the torrent of Splinter's words. Fuck, he had practically given them his blessing! It was everything they could have hoped for, and all he could do was gape like a deer in the headlights. He hadn't noticed the tears streaming down his face until Raphael gave his hand another squeeze.

 

Blinking, he turned to look in his partner's eyes, wet, but not leaking, and lifted at the corners from an ever-growing smile. Leo breathed out, trying to give his own lopsided smile in return. It ended up looking more like a grimace, but he didn't care.

 

This was possibly the best day of his life, besides the time he got his first set of katanas.

 

From around the corner, two other familiar figures came into view. Michelangelo and Donatello were talking animatedly about something or another, the smallest of them gesturing wildly to add more emphasis, until they saw their older siblings across the way. It turned into a ten second staring contest that their residential scientist decided to break.

 

"Leo, Raph, you're back!" He sounded… relieved? Not the first reaction Leo had been expecting.

 

Michelangelo warily shuffled forward, like he was approaching a skittish animal. "Soooooo, you guys are, like, a _thing_ now, right?"

 

Raph huffed in annoyance, as if he could predict the migraine this would cause him later on. "Yes, Mikey. We're a 'thing'. We have been for some time."

 

"Why didn't you tell us?"

 

Leonardo looked to Don, always the curious turtle, always striving to figure out why this or that happened, or why it didn't in this case. "We weren't trying to be malicious by keeping it from everyone. It's just that, well, issues as controversial as this are normally frowned upon, and we weren't sure how accepting you all would be."

 

"Leo, may I remind you that words like 'normal' aren't exactly associated with dudes like us?" Mikey spread his arms out to include their whole family. "I mean, sure, I'm a liiiiittle weirded out, but seriously: on a scale of one to ten, I'd give my older brothers shagging each other--"

 

" _Michelangelo._ "

 

The youngest turtle recoiled from his teacher's rigid tone, but pressed on. "A four. Maybe a five, because, honestly, we're talking about _Raph_ here. I mean, _really,_ Leo?"

 

" _Mikey."_

 

Not wanting to incite the wrath of both his father and hotheaded brother, Michelangelo muttered a "just saying" and spoke no further. Leo was grateful, though. This was his younger brother's way of lightening the mood, and it was working wonders.

 

"I think what Mikey is trying to say," Donatello began, "is that you don't have to worry about getting heat from us. The outside world does enough of that as it is, and, biologically speaking, we're all we've got. As long as you guys are still part of the team, I don't see a problem here."

 

Leo's heart swelled at those words, and was finally able to handle a proper smile in the wake of his earlier emotional episode. "Thanks, Donnie."

 

"Well, _Mikey_ has a problem with it!" The littlest mutant squawked. "Raph's room is right next to mine. What am I supposed to do when Brokeback Mountain over here decides to bareback while I'm sleeping?"

 

"Jesus, Mikey…"

 

"Hey, I ain't playin'! If you kids are buddying up for the long run, we need to set some ground rules for what y'all can and can't do in or near my presence. My delicate constitution can only handle so much!"

 

"I have my own concerns on this matter as well, but they can wait, for now," Splinter said, his whisk-stache (term coined by one Michelangelo) perking up due to the smile on his face.

 

"Dad, everyone… You have no idea what this means to us. Thank you." Leo bowed, with Raphael following suit. When they rose back up, the suffocating weight that had been pressing upon their subconscious these past distressing days was no longer holding them down.

 

Everything finally felt _right._

 

"Welcome home, my sons."

 


End file.
